Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in a statement, also condoled the passing away of the minister.

Shocked by his sudden demise, Gandhi said that Dave was soft spoken and gentle human being. "He will be fondly remembered for his humble personality," she added.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi tweeted and said, "Very sad to learn of the sudden demise of Union Minister Anil Madhav Daveji. He worked tirelessly for Narmada conservation. My condolences to his family."

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar took to Twitter, and India has lost a promising leader who had immense concern for our environment.

Janata Dal (United) leader K.C. Tyagi told ANI: "It is a personal loss for me. I had the fortune to work with him in the Rajya Sabha for many years. He believed that his concerns about environment would become a matter of concern for all."

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury termed Dave's death as "Sad and untimely".